Target-trap



N. W. BENNER.

TARGET TRAP. K APPLICATmN FILED MAYT. Isa-zio.

1,362,467, Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

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y JNVENTOR Na/ran/'e/ WEE/mer @y @im ATTORNEY.

N. W. BENNER.

TARGET TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I, |920.

1,362,467. Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

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WITNESS.- JNVENTOR.

y-1r W ZW /5 Na7/mme! WBe/mer NATHANIEL W, BENNER, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

TARGET-TRAP.

Application led May 7, 1920.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NATI-rimini. W. BEN- NER,a citizen of the United States residing at Philadelphia, in the countyof Fhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Target-Traps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to target traps and it has more particularreference to that type or form of device for throwing composition orother frangible targets, and it has for its main object to provide atarget trap which can be easily set and released, to which thecomposition or other frangible targets can be quickly applied with easeand facility, which can be adjusted to the requisite angle with aminimum amount of labor, and which will throw the target in such amanner as to obviate tipping and the correlated retardance of saidtarget with the result that a greater distance of throw is insured.

`With the foregoing and other objects in view,'that will more fullyappear as this description proceeds, my present invention consistsessentially in certain novel features of construction, arrangement andcombination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated by theaccompanying sheets of explanatory drawings, and more specificallydeine'd by the appended claims.

In the further disclosure of the invention reference is to be had to theaccompanying sheets of explanatory drawings, constituting a part of thisspecification and in which like characters of reference designate thesame or similar parts in all the views.

Figure 1- is a side elevation of my improved target trap with theoperating rod broken away, and the several parts in locked orinoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail plan showing the position of the throwingarm when released.

Fig. 4- is a similar view showing the position occupied by the throwingarm mechanism prior to its release.

Fig. 5" is a sectional'elevation taken substantially on the line 5-5 inFig. 1 and looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Fig. 6- is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line6 6 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7- is an enlarged detail underside plan of the target carriermechanism.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

Serial No. 379,624.

l Referring more particularly to the views, the numeral 1() designates abase-plate which is adapted to be secured in place by holdingdown boltsor screws 11, and beneath said base plate there is provided a verticallydisposedsocket or journal 12, in which is pivoted the reduced end 13 ofthe main pedestal 14. Laterally projecting from the pedestal 14, areopposed arms 15, to which are attached the foot rests 16, and forwardlyprojectingifrom said pedestal is an arm 17 to the free end whereof isclamped by a bolt 18, one end of a bent rod 19, the upper curved endwhereof passes through an eyed bracket 2O on the outer underside of aplatform 21, which in turn is formed with a second depending innerbracket or lug 22 by means of which the platform 21 is pivotallyconnected to the pedestal by a pivot pin 0r bolt 23. Upstanding stops orprojections 24 are provided on the base plate 10 for limiting theswinging movement of the pedestal 14.

Rearward of the pedestal 14 there is mounted on, or formed integralwith, the base plate 10, a standard 25 which is eyed at 26 to receivethe rectangular-section end 27 of the operating rod 28, and attached toan upstanding arm 29 on the forward end 27 of said operating rod 28, isone end of a chain or otherexible element 30, which is guided betweenthe peripheral surfaces of spaced vertically rotatable anti-frictionrollers 31 mounted on the aforesaid platform 21 and connected at itsfree end to a laterally projecting ear or hook 32 integral with arotatably mounted disk or wheel 33 under the action of a contractilespring 34e-one end whereof is attached to a pin -35 on said disk and theother to a stud 36 on the platform 21. Laterally projecting from theaforesaid disk or wheel 33 is a tooth or projection 37 which normallyengages with an upstanding stop 38 on the platform 21 and thereby limitsthe contra- Vclockwise movement of the disk or wheel 33 in opposition tothe contractile spring 34.

Mountedon the aforesaid platform 21 is a bracket 39 in which is husedthe main pivot pin 40 on which the disk or wheel 33 is keyed orotherwise securely mounted, and the hub or boX 41 of said wheel isprovided with a laterally projecting latch portion 42 which is adaptedto coperate with a bumper or recoil absorbing device 43 consisting of anadjustable bolt 44encircled by a comyhaving connected thereto one end ofthe main spring 49 the other end whereof is hooked on to an adjustableeyed bolt 50I carried by an L-shaped bracket 51, mounted on the abovedescribed platform 21.

The target holder proper includes a pair of pivoted jaws 52, 53, theformer of which is pivoted at 54 to the free end of the target throwingarm 47, and in order that it may have a degree of swinging resiliencyrelative thereto, the pivot 54 is reduced at -Fig. 7-and has keyedthereon an arm 56 to which is connected one end of ya helical retractilespringV 57 whose other end is appropriately connected to the undersideof the arm 47 at 58.. Thus it will be readily seen that while the jaws52, 53, arel normally maintained in alinement with the arm 47, whenAsaid arm is vswung a degree of swinging resiliency is provided at thepivot 54 when the impact takes place and the target released. The targetholding jaw 53 is pivoted on the jaw 52 at 59, and in order that meansmay be provided for accurately adjusting the grip of said jaws Ipreferably employ the means illustrated more clearly in F ig. 7 andwhich consist in forming the pivot 59 with an eccentric depending pin 60through which passes; a `wire or fine rod 61 hooked on a stud 62 on theunderside of the jaw 52, the other end of said wire or rod 61 beingthreaded to receive an adjustable locking nut 63 between which and thepin 60 is mounted a compression spring 64.

Stops and a projection 65, 66, are provided in the jaws 52, 53, toretain the target in place and it will be readily noted that the jawsthus provide for what may be termed aside feed.

To provide for the locking of the target throwing arm 47 and itsassocia-ted parts in the inoperative position as well as releasing same,I preferably employ the latch mechanism shown, and which comprises whatmay be termed a T-shaped plate 67-.-Fig. 3f-which is pivoted by one arm68, under the action of a contractile spring 69 on a pivot pin 70mounted on the aforesaid bracket 51, the opposed arm 71 being notchedout at 72 to grip over the target throwing arm 47, and inclined at`73 toreadily latch thereon when the parts are returned or moved toinoperative position. Mounted on the base plate 10 is a bracket 74 tothe upper end whereof is pivoted at 75 a gravity fall trip or crank arm76, one limb 77 of which is arranged to be under the aforesaid T-shapedplate while the other 78 is bent substantially Lfshaped to be in thepath of the end of the rectangular end porf tion 27 of the mainoperating rod 28, so that when the latter is released it trips the crankarm 76 as hereafter explained.

In using the target trap, presuming the parts to be constructed andassembled as hereinbefore set forth', the trap operator takes a positionat the proper station near the trap to manipulate the operating rod 28while the gunner stands nearby or astride ythe trap with his feet on thefoot rests 16,

which form a guide as to his position and which will also serve tosteady the trap.. A clay or other frangiblc target is placed sidewise onthe holder jaws 52, 5,3, and held between the stops and projection 66 sothat it will be ready when the trap.v is set and subsequently released.To set the device the operator draws the operating rod 28 rearwardlythereby exerting a pull on the chain or flexible element 30 which exertsa clockwise turn upon the disk or wheel 33 in opposition to thecontractile spring 3:4, until the buffer memberl 43 engages the latch42.

The throwing arm 17 then engages within the'notch 72 and the device isset, with the spring 49 under tension. At a signal from the gunner, theoperator pushes upon the rod 28, which causes the end or lower portion79 of the rectangular part 27 to strike the L-shaped end 78 of the crankarm 76 and rock same on its pivot 75 to the right hand in Fig, 1, inturn moving the limb 77 upward and rocking the 'if-shaped plate 67.Instantly this action takes place-or in other words when the trap isreleased by the disengagement of the notched out part 72 over the targetthrowing arm 47 the latter flies outwardly under the tension of the mainspring 49 until it reaches the discharge position-that is tov say whenthe main pivot pin 46 is rotated contra-clockwise until the latch 42strikes the buffer 43. This impact of the latch 42, and buffer 43 causesa sharp arrestation or jar to be exerted on the throwing arm 47 whichshoots the target from the carriers or holder jaws 52, 53. It will alsobe readily seen that the throwing arm 47 moves outwardly and upwardly inan inclined direction so that when the target is released from theholder jaws 52, 53, said target will not only shoot forward but willrise much after and simulate they flight of a bird, and by the provisionof the bent rod 19 this outward and upward inclined direction of flightcan be varied or adjusted as desired by simply releasing the set screw80 in the eyed bracket 20 and moving the platform 21 to the requisiteangle.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that by myinvention I provide an ellicient and easily constructed target trap thenumerous advantages whereof will be self-evident to those acquaintedwith the sport of trap shooting; and while I have described and shown apreferred embodiment it is to be clearly understood that various changesin the form, proportion, size and minor details thereof, as well asother combinations and arrangements effected without departing from thespirit of said invention, such changes and other combinations, however,being limited to the ambit or scope of the appended claims. y

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A target trap comprising a base, a pedestal pivotally supported bythe base, a platform hinged on said pedestal, means for adjusting theinclination of said platform relative to the base, a throwing armpivotally supported on the platform and under the action of anadjustable contractile spring, side feed spring influenced targetcarrying jaws at the outer end of the throwing arm, a support on theplatform, a substantially T-shaped spring influenced latch mechanismpivoted on the support and adapted to hold the throwing arm inopposition to the contractile spring, a longitudinally movable operatingrod, means actuable by the trap operating rod for releasing the latchmechanism from the throwing arm, a bracket on the pedestal and a crankmember pivoted thereon, one arm of said crank member being normallydisposed in the path of the operating rod and the other arm beingadapted to release the latch mechanism, and spring influenced bumpermechanism for causing the release of the target when the throwing armreaches the discharge position.

2. In a target trap the combination with a base, a pedestal pivotallysupported on the base, a platform hinged on said pedestal and adaptedfor adjustable inclination relative thereto, and a partially rotatablespring influenced target throwing mechanism supported on said platform,of a pair of target carrying jaws adapted for side feed, one of saidjaws being pivoted at the outer end of the throwing arm and the otherbeing pivoted on the first aw, means for exerting a normal grippingeffect on said jaws and maintaining same in alinement with the throwingarm, a longitudinally movable operating rod, latch mechanism actuable byimpact of the trap operating rod for releasing the throwing arm, andspring influenced bumper mechanism for effecting the release of thetarget when the throwing arm reaches the discharge position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

NATHANIEL w. BENNER.

